Wage Protection System (WPS)

The DMCC Free Zone is empowered to oversee a database ensuring timely and full wage disbursements in the private sector, facilitated by the Central Bank of the UAE’s Wage Protection System (WPS). This piece delves into the streamlined process for registered DMCC Free Zone enterprises to register employees for salary transfers while adhering to regulatory requirements. Key Points

• Compulsory Enrollment: All employers within the DMCC are obligated to enroll their employees, irrespective of whether they possess a bank account (‘banked’) or not (‘unbanked’), with a Bank or Exchange House. This includes individuals with active or expired visas, as well as those holding Permanent Identity Cards (PIC).
• Shareholder Privilege: Shareholders are exempt from this registration requirement and can seek their entitlements through Workplace Mediation with the DMCC Disputes Centre. They can obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to pursue legal actions.
• Registration of New Employees: Employers must promptly register new hires for salary transfers immediately after the issuance of the Company Employment Card (CEC) or Permanent Identity Card (PIC).
• Currency and Fees: Salary disbursements are in AED currency. Banks or Exchange Houses may levy charges to process Wages Protection System (WPS) transactions, which can be negotiated with the service provider. However, these charges cannot be deducted from employee wages.
• Authorized Enrollment: Employee registration must be conducted exclusively with Banks or Exchange Houses authorized by the Central Bank of the UAE.

Steps for WPS Salary Transfer Registration:

Step 1: Employee Identification Identify employees with or without a bank account. Step 2: Salary Report Creation Log in to the DMCC Member Portal. Access “My Reports” and choose “WPS Salary Report – Current Month” (covering Employee and Employer ID). Download the report, and input: IBAN for employees with a registered UAE bank account. Agent ID for employees without a registered UAE bank account. Optional: Variable income (e.g., bonus) and annual leave days. Save the final report. Step 3: Salary File Request Approach:

• Bank (applicable for employees holding a UAE bank account).
• Exchange House (suitable for employees without a UAE bank account).

Step 4: File Creation The Bank/Exchange House will generate the salary file(s). Upon completion, no further updates or document uploads are required in the DMCC Member Portal. Monthly salary transfers are monitored by DMCC to identify any delays.

Registering Shareholder Salary Transfer via WPS:

Shareholders are not mandated to register for WPS salary transfer. However, if you wish to be manually included in WPS as a shareholder with a CEC or PIC, please follow these steps:

• Enter the DMCC Help Center login.
• Go to the “Disputes Centre” and select the “Wages Protection System (WPS)”.
• Choose the article “How can I register a shareholder in the Wages Protection System (WPS)?”
• Click “Create Case”.
• Complete the fields with the full name of the shareholder(s) as mentioned on the passport. Click “Submit.”
• The request is processed by DMCC, which adds the shareholder(s) to WPS.
• Receive notification via the same case once it has been processed.

Note that After adding shareholders to WPS, they should first generate their employee IDs and add them to the “WPS Salary Report – Current Month” before heading to the bank or exchange house.

To create an Employee ID:

Use format: DMCC + 000 + PIC/CEC number. Make sure there are 14 digits on the employee ID. If there are fewer or more digits than 14, add or remove zeros following “DMCC”. DMCC0001234567 is an example of an employee ID with the CEC/PIC number 1234567.